The invention relates generally to a name plate assembly, and more particularly to a name plate assembly which can be easily removed from a garment by utilizing a connector as a lever, without injuring the garment or the user.
Magnetic name plates for use with clothing are known to the art. Such name plates generally operate by sandwiching a piece of clothing between two plates which are magnetically attracted to each other. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,369,899 which was invented by the applicant, discloses a name plate assembly including a flat, generally rectangular name plate (12) for mounting on the outer surface of the user""s garment, and a complementary retaining member (14) for mounting on the inner side of the garment. The name plate and retaining member are magnetically received in a face-to-face relation so that the user""s garment is sandwiched therebetween. The name plate and the retaining member are provided with inter-engaging elements that interlock with the fabric sandwiched therebetween in order to effectively limit the relative movement of the members relative to each other. In addition, the name plate and retaining member each include a ferrous steel plate (20, 36), respectively. The steel plates are positioned on opposite sides of a magnetic strip (30) in order to substantially increase the magnetic power of the magnetic strip thereby increasing the magnetic holding power between the name plate and the retaining member. While effective in adhering the name plate assembly to a an article of clothing, it can be difficult for a user to remove the assembly from the clothing. This is due in part to the flat, straight nature of the name plate and retaining member, and the superior magnetic holding power of the assembly, both of which require a user to pry the assembly apart in order to release it from engagement with the clothing.
Another magnetic name plate assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,331 to Mattson. Mattson discloses a self-adhering name badge assembly (10) including a pair of separable flat badge panels (11, 12) which are designed to be placed in face-to-face relationship with a piece of clothing clamped therebetween, in order to support the assembly on the clothing. Each panel has a similar construction, including a magnetic core with N and S poles at opposite ends thereof, with the poles of one of the panels in complementary orientation relative to the poles of the other of the panels. The magnetic core and a ferromagnetic plate may be laminated together in order to increase the stiffness of the badge panels. While generally effective, it has been found that the badge panels can become easily detached from each other by simply brushing against the outer panel of the badge assembly, which causes the badge assembly to disengage from the garment.
Therefore, there is needed in the art a name plate assembly which can be effectively secured to a garment without inadvertently coming disengaged, and which is also easy for a user to remove when desired.
One object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic name plate assembly which securely maintains the name plate to an article of clothing through magnetic attraction, and which can be easily removed from the garment by a user without injuring the garment or the user.
In accordance with one aspect, there is provided a name plate assembly for use on a garment having a name plate and a connector which are magnetically attracted to each other, and which are disposed on opposite sides of a piece of clothing during use such that the clothing is sandwiched therebetween. The name plate assembly is removed from the garment by the user pressing the connector through the fabric, or by otherwise engaging the connector, for example by grasping and pulling on the connector. In this manner, the connector acts as a lever in order to break the magnetic connection between the name plate and the connector so that the name plate assembly may be easily removed from engagement with the article of clothing without excessive force.
In a first embodiment, the connector may preferably be V-shaped and include an indentation on either end of the legs of the xe2x80x9cVxe2x80x9d in order to receive a magnet therein. However, the connector may also have any of a variety of shapes, provided that a portion of the connector extends beyond an edge of the face and/or back plate during use so that a user may grasp the connector and utilize the connector as a lever to produce a force sufficient to disengage the connector from engagement with the nameplate. Examples of other shapes the connector body may have include, but are not limited to, generally xe2x80x9cU-shapedxe2x80x9d, semi-circular or xe2x80x9carcxe2x80x9d shapedxe2x80x9d, and generally triangular. Regardless of its shape, the connector is preferably made of a conductive material such that the magnets can be held in place within the connector by magnetic attraction, without the need for adhesives or the like. The name plate preferably includes a face plate for displaying indicia, such as a user""s name, and a back plate which is adapted to engage the garment and which is placed in a facing relationship to the magnets of the connector. The back plate is preferably made of a magnetically conductive material such that the magnets of the connector are attracted to the back plate in order to hold the name plate assembly to the clothing. In one embodiment, the back plate includes a set of protrusions in order to limit movement of the connector and name plate relative to each other. The protrusions may also provide a guide for proper placement of the connector. Alternately, the back plate may include a recess or raised wall to limit relative movement of the connector and the name plate, and to act as a guide.